ILT

09/10/2026

The weather is looking bonny, so gather the clan and come along to the Southern Highland Showdown tomorrow at the Ascot Park Hotel grounds. Free entry from 10.30am - expect a day of all things Scottish, including wood chopping, strongman events, the kilted mile and pipe bands, along with food and family-friendly fun.

Tomorrow is shaping up to be a beauty for the Southern Highland Showdown! 🔥

📅 Saturday 10 October
⏰ Kicking off at 10:30am
📍 Ascot Park Hotel grounds
🎟️ FREE ENTRY!

Bring the family, soak up the atmosphere and enjoy a fantastic day of Scottish tradition, rivalry and entertainment!

Tag your mates and make a day of it! 🙌🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

06/10/2026

Looking for a little creative inspiration? You’ll find plenty at He Waka Tuia! 🎨

The 2026 ILT Murihiku Art Awards exhibition is a wonderful chance to explore and celebrate some incredible artistic talent. A big congratulations to this year’s winners! Head along before 15 November and check it out.

02/10/2026

01/10/2026

We’ve got our fingers and toes crossed that the weather plays ball for tomorrow night’s fireworks at Rugby Park! 🎆 We’re keeping a close eye on conditions, and safety will always come first. We’ll share an update if plans need to change. Either way, we'd love to see you there for the final home game of the season 🏉

One final home game. One final chance to represent Southland in 2026.

The SBS Bank Southland Stags return to Rugby Park this Friday for the Battle of the Mainland, taking on Northland in the Stags' final game of the 2026 Hilux NPC season.

It’s set to be a huge night in Invercargill as the Stags and Northland battle it out for the the Hetaraka “Peter” Tetai Trophy— before the ILT Fireworks Spectacular lights up the sky after full time.

SBS Bank Southland Stags v Northland
📅 Friday 2 October
⏰ Kick-off 7.10pm
📍 Rugby Park, Invercargill

Bring the family. Bring your mates. Bring the noise.

One final game. One final night under the lights.

27/09/2026

More defibrillators available 24/7 means more people can access one when it matters most ❤️ We love this partnership with Hato Hone St John - so good! 🙌

22/09/2026

What a talented bunch of finalists!

ILT is proud to be the naming-rights sponsor of the ILT Southland Music Awards and to celebrate the incredible musical talent we have here in Murihiku. Congratulations to all the finalists — we can’t wait to celebrate with you on October 17. Check out the full list below. 👇

OUR 2026 SOUTHLAND MUSIC AWARDS FINALISTS!

Following the announcement of our six Southland Entertainer of the Year finalists, we’re thrilled to reveal the talented musicians, performers and creators selected as finalists across our remaining 2026 award categories.

PERFORMANCE AWARDS

SOUTHLAND BAND OF THE YEAR
Proudly sponsored by RIFF – Live Entertainment Venue

- Brenny & The Bushwhackers
- Highland Storm
- Hoodaki

SOUTHLAND VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Proudly sponsored by Fredricks Menswear

- Margi Ferguson
- Jacinta Kerepeti Gilbert
- Kayla Mahon
- Simon Thompson

INSTRUMENTAL AWARDS

SOUTHLAND GUITARIST OF THE YEAR
Proudly sponsored by Jason Taylor Vehicle Sales

- Cav Clearwater
- Michael Crook
- Kian Eriksson
- Vance Manu

SOUTHLAND BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Proudly sponsored by Selector Uniforms

- Hanna Ott
- Rhys White
- Geoff Williams

SOUTHLAND KEYBOARDIST OF THE YEAR
Proudly sponsored by KSOM

- Scott Calvert
- Hollie Longman
- Shane Stuck

SOUTHLAND DRUMMER OF THE YEAR
Proudly sponsored by James McRobie – Ray White

- Antonio Mercuri
- Brendon Monaghan
- Corbyn Shuttleworth

SOUTHLAND INSTRUMENTALIST AWARD
Proudly sponsored by Invercargill Musical Theatre

- Lachlan Checketts
- Megan Gooding
- Lachie McGregor

RECORDING AWARDS

SOUTHLAND SONG OF THE YEAR
Proudly sponsored by Hayes Mechanical

- 'Betty' — Anna Van Riel
- 'Bones' — Rhythmonyx
- 'Like Lainey' — Halton Heart

SOUTHLAND EP OF THE YEAR
Proudly sponsored by More FM

- 'The Sound of a Cloud' - Hoodaki
- 'Rhythm & Soul' — Self-Titled
- 'Slur'— Self-Titled

SOUTHLAND ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Proudly sponsored by Threes & Sevens Records

- 'Wooden Leg' - Anna Van Riel
- 'Mentaltainment' - Foul Play Syndicate
- 'Ronnie Stash & The Resistance'

SPECIAL AWARDS

FRANK PRATTLEY AWARD - Southland's Rising Musical Talent
Proudly sponsored by Arts Murihiku
- Lara Kerr

AMBASSADOR AWARD
Proudly sponsored by Model Me Lashes & Beauty
- To be announced on the night!

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
- To be announced on the night!

A huge congratulations to every one of our 2026 finalists!
Over the coming weeks, we’ll introduce you to the finalists and shine a spotlight on the incredible talent represented across each category.

The winners will be announced at the ILT Southland Music Awards & Hall of Fame Show:

Saturday 17 October 2026
ILT Stadium Southland, Invercargill
Book tickets: https://stadiumsouth.flicket.co.nz

Come and celebrate the people who make Southland’s music community so special.

22/09/2026

MEET OUR 2026 SOUTHLAND GUITARIST OF THE YEAR FINALISTS!
Proudly sponsored by Jason Taylor Vehicle Sales

These four talented musicians represent an incredible range of styles, experience and musicianship - from rock, blues and country to jazz, Celtic music and beyond.

Swipe through to meet each of our finalists and discover more about their musical journeys.

The winner will be announced at the 2026 Southland Music Awards
Saturday 17 October 2026
ILT Stadium Southland
Book Tickets: https://stadiumsouth.flicket.co.nz/events/e51a7a3b-bb93-40b0-8d4a-0c13888fbb52

17/09/2026

Our 2026 Year in Review has landed 🙌

Inside are some of the moments, milestones and community mahi that made up the past year — including the great work of Southland Football, SPCA Otago/Southland, and many other local groups and initiatives we’re proud to support.

We’re incredibly delighted to have returned $8.38 million to our community this year. Ka mau te wehi!

Read the digital version here:https://ilt.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2026-Annual-Report.pdf Or get in touch if you’d like a printed copy.

14/09/2026

We are 2 months out from launching our 2026 Christmas donation drive for Parent to Parent!

This year we have locations in Invercargill, Gore, Winton and Riverton, with other small towns in the talks. This will be our biggest drive yet!

We want to give a quick shout-out to ILT for allowing us to place donation bins at their bottle venues across Invercargill!

Keep an eye out for more information coming soon!